


Even Simple Things Become Rough

by bustybarnes



Series: Scenes From A Convenience Store [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Convenience Store, Bucky's POV-ish, M/M, Steve Rogers is Not Captain America, Stucky - Freeform, Trigger warning car accident, Trigger warning for loss of parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 09:34:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11643777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bustybarnes/pseuds/bustybarnes
Summary: Things had gotten off to a tumultuous start between the two of them.  Of all the ways Bucky had imagined their first kiss, using said kiss to calm Steve down after the altercation with Rumlow wasn’t one of them.  But it had gotten the job done.Their first date had been that same day.  The two had gone back to the store to find Natasha waiting on them with the police.  Bucky gave his statement on what happened to the officers before they asked Steve for his.  After that, Natasha banished Bucky from the store until his shift that night  Bucky had been at a loss.  He hadn’t properly dated anyone in longer than he could remember.(Set three months after the events of A Matter of Convenience.  Can be read as a stand alone but it's more fun if you read the lead in story first!)





	Even Simple Things Become Rough

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah I know...Busty shows up almost 2 years late with the next story in the series. But better late than never? 
> 
> Also, not beta'd because apparently my muses will only let me write when my betas are in bed so again with if you catch a spelling or grammar mistake, let me know privately and I'll fix it. Also, comments are loved and adored! (And will probably get the next part written faster...just sayin'.)

“So...Wednesday night I was thinking…” Bucky slid next to Steve as the man fiddled with his coffee.

“Can’t do Wednesday, Buck. I told you.” Steve leaned against the counter to look at Bucky.

“What, you got a date with another charming yet self-deprecating convenience store clerk?” He smiled at the chuckle he managed to inspire.

“Nah. Only room in my schedule for one of those and you’re it.”

“I’m still not hearing a reason…” Bucky kept his voice light and playful as they made their way around the counter toward the front of the store.

“I just have, ya know, stuff to do on Wednesday nights is all. No big deal.” He shrugged, not meeting Bucky’s gaze.

“So you are sneaking around on me. The guy you come in here with sometimes?”

Steve finally looked up from his hands, his eyes unreadable. Neither of them said anything as tension crept in. The front door chime was a welcome distraction.

Bucky hopped behind the counter, his face the picture of friendliness but his shoulders were hunched. The customer called out her cigarette brand and Bucky poured on the charm.

“Thanks Bucky. And cheer up...you look like you just got dumped.” The woman glided out, practically ushering the tension back in.

“Bucky…” Steve now stood opposite him.

“I need to start getting ready for shift change so you might as well head out.” He was keeping his emotions carefully in check. Bucky focused on wiping down the front counter and not looking at Steve. He flinched when the door chime went off.

Bucky didn’t see or hear from Steve at all for the next three days. He was teetering on the edge of caving and calling or texting him when his text alert went off.

**_80 Willoughby St. Tomorrow night 6pm._ **

The address was familiar but until Bucky looked it up, it didn’t click as to what it was. St. Joseph High School. What the…

**Uhh...okay. What’s there?**

**_You’ll have to be patient._ **

Patience was not one of Bucky’s strong suits.

Between morning rush and unexpectedly having to work for Darcy (“It’s this project I’m working on for extra credit. The doctor I’m meeting with can ONLY meet TODAY!”), Bucky didn’t have much time to wonder about Steve’s cryptic plans. Natasha was actually encouraging positivity, well as much as Natasha was able to, but not to completely discount the worst case scenario.

**Is there a dress code for this top secret...whatever?** Bucky was trying not to stress and failing miserably. 

**_Not really. Whatever’s comfy._ **

**And if I’m more comfortable naked? ;)** Bucky couldn’t help the smile that broke out, especially when his phone started ringing.

“What can I say? Sometimes I need to be naked.” Bucky grinned even wider.

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the call. “Jesus now that’s all I can imagine. But no, nudity is out of the question. Atleast for this. When it’s just us, I would encourage it because that is something worth savoring.”

“Really? And just how much of this...savoring...will be hands on?” Bucky’s voice dropped to an almost purr.

“You do remember I’m at work, right?” Steve’s voice was tight with frustration. Bucky had come to know that tone very well.

“But I’m not. And I’m naked so…” The answering whine produced butterflies in Bucky’s stomach.

“And I’m hanging up now before things get…”

“Hard? Too late.”

“I was gonna say heated but…”

“Well, in that case, I’ll let you get back to work. There’s something I need to...handle.”

“You asshole,” Steve whispered but there was no heat or anger behind the words. The call ended immediately after that. At least Steve was still speaking to him.

Things had gotten off to a tumultuous start between the two of them. Of all the ways Bucky had imagined their first kiss, using said kiss to calm Steve down after the altercation with Rumlow wasn’t one of them. But it had gotten the job done.

Their first date had been that same day. The two had gone back to the store to find Natasha waiting on them with the police. Bucky gave his statement on what happened to the officers before they asked Steve for his. After that, Natasha banished Bucky from the store until his shift that night Bucky had been at a loss. He hadn’t properly dated anyone in longer than he could remember.

“Starbuck’s? I haven’t had all of my coffee yet. Or breakfast for that matter…” Steve was a bit calmer and not as obviously nervous as Bucky.

Here they were, three months later. Bucky hadn’t scared Steve away nor had he vanished again. They went out when they could (and stayed in when they couldn’t) but it wasn’t easy with Bucky’s overnight schedule. Wednesday was the one day he never worked. It was a holdover from when Wednesday had been therapy day for his arm and his head. Those days had long since stopped but Natasha still gave him the day off. And he’d wanted to spend it with Steve, except for his mysterious standing Wednesday night appointment.

Logically, Bucky knew Steve wasn’t seeing someone else but then there were the phone calls from a mysterious ‘Sam’ and also ‘Sharon’. Those were what set Bucky’s insecurity off the charts.

That night, Bucky had nightmares of everything from Steve leaving him with no warning to memories of his accident, which hadn’t happened since he stopped his therapies.

 _What are you so damned afraid of?_ Clint hastily signed over lunch Wednesday.

“I know you have them in so why the hand talk?” Bucky jabbed a fry through his ketchup.

_Stop avoiding the question and answer it!_

_That we’re meeting for him to…_ Bucky flailed, earning a laugh from his lunch companion. _I don’t know! Dump me or tell me he’s a serial killer?_

_You’re so dramatic. If he was going to dump you, he wouldn’t be taking you to some nondescript building._

“What do you know? How many people have you dumped?” Bucky mock-glared but was slightly reassured.

_Not many. But I’ve been dumped plenty of times. I know how it feels and how it could be described. Your situation doesn’t fit the bill. Speaking of bills…_

“Cheap asshole. Remind me which one of us is loaded?” Bucky snagged the check and ignored Clint flipping him off.

Bucky still couldn’t shake the feeling that something big was about to happen, be it a break-up or serial killer reveal. To keep his mind off of things, he ran the few errands he either didn’t or couldn’t while he was working. Grocery shopping was done in short order, then trash was taken out, and finally laundry was washed and put away. The monotony of domesticity managed to make time pass quicker.

And doing laundry helped him figure out what he was going to wear.

Five forty-five found Bucky standing outside 80 Willoughby Street. He would’ve been even more ridiculously early but he’d realized 10 minutes after he left that his cell was still at his apartment. Bucky picked at his jeans, and looked for non-existent stains, holes, or wrinkles in his dress shirt. Nervous habits were a bitch.

“Bucky! You actually showed up.” Steve’s smile was the one Bucky had come to know as his secret smile. It was the one he only ever saw when they were alone.

“Of course I did. I had to find out what YOU could possibly be so secretive about.” Bucky bumped his elbow into Steve’s affectionately. 

“Hey I have secrets. You could say I’m a man of mystery…” Steve tried, and failed, to keep a serious face but they both dissolved into peals of laughter.

“Okay Austin Powers...what exactly are we doing here?” 

Steve’s grin faded slightly. “Well, this is my standing Wednesday night appointment and I wanted you to know why I couldn’t break it. So, c’mon inside and meet everybody.” Steve held the door open for Bucky, who was trying to put together what exactly went on inside based on the people he could see down the hallway. Instead of running, he took a hesitant few steps in, stepping aside so Steve could walk by.

“Steve...how’ve you been?” A young woman, probably in her late 20s, walked up to Steve and wrapped her arms around him. Okay so this was awkward.

“Good. It’s been a good week. Sharon, this is Bucky. Bucky, this is a good friend of mine, Sharon.” Steve stepped back in-line with Bucky.

“So this is Bucky. Well, it’s nice to finally put a face with the name Steve keeps going on and on about.” Sharon extended her hand with a smile.

“Nice to meet you. Wish I could say the same but Steve here is a regular mystery.”

Steve blushed as Sharon quietly excused herself. A couple others wandered by them, all acknowledging Steve and all of them had a smile for Bucky.

“Okay so what are you, Mister Popularity?” There was no heat behind the question but Steve blanched.

“Well not really but this is a small group and everyone really gets to know each other.” Steve steered them down the hall towards an open door.

“Wait, is this a cult? Is that why you’re so secretive?” Bucky kept his voice to a whisper but Steve let out a loud laugh.

“No, Bucky, this isn’t a cult. It’s, well, here look.” He pointed to a sign just outside the door.

Dearly Departed Grief Support.

Oh. Bucky looked quickly from the sign to Steve and back to the sign. He had no clue how to ask the one thing he desperately wanted, and to an extent, needed, to know.

“My mom. Not long after I started coming by the store. I would stay with her at nights and go directly to the office. So when I’ve said seeing you those first weeks was the bright spot of my day, I wasn’t exaggerating.” Steve’s voice was soft but full of emotion, which shook Bucky to the core.

“So when you stopped coming in...oh my God, Steve, I was such a shit to you!” He drug a hand through his hair nervously.

As if he could read the nervous energy in the motion, Steve grabbed both Bucky’s hands and held them. “You didn’t know. I mean, how would you? All you knew was that I disappeared for a little while and then reappeared with someone in tow.”

“I could’ve asked instead of...of just...I mean…” A tear streaked down Bucky’s face as he sniffled, trying to keep the rest of the tears at bay. Bucky took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m sorry about your mom, Steve. She must’ve been an incredible lady to have a son like you.”

“Thank you. I like to think she was.” Steve leaned forward so their foreheads touched, their breath mingling together. Bucky looked up into Steve’s eyes as the noises around them faded into nothing.

Bucky sat beside Steve during the meeting but said little to nothing. He’d done group therapy for a time after he lost his arm so he knew the protocol. Turned out that the guy Steve showed up with at the store was the group leader, Sam. He’d given Bucky a knowing smile as the meeting started.

Steve hadn’t been kidding when he said that everyone knew each other. They knew all about each other’s lives and asked about the previous week’s events and what the coming week held. Sharon was a teacher with a big class field trip coming up that everyone asked about. She was there after her aunt Peggy had passed away. In her aunt’s honor, she was taking her class to Washington, DC since Peggy had been in politics.

Everyone couldn’t get enough of Bucky and how happy he made Steve. He got the distinct impression that Steve talked about him constantly and had even gotten everyone’s permission to include him. He teared up hearing about Steve’s mom and how he was still learning how not to head for her house automatically but he was getting there.

Most of the group was there because of the loss of a parent but a couple were there after their spouse or partner had passed away. They were the ones Bucky couldn’t bring himself to imagine how they got up every day. His parents had died in a car accident so they never had to live without each other. The strength those people showed made Bucky feel small and almost insignificant.

“Why insignificant?” Steve asked later, over dinner not far away.

“Because I bitched about not having you for one night and they’re living their lives without their...person. Just puts things into perspective.” Bucky fiddled with the straw in his water.

“So...am I your person?” Steve looked up at him through those sinfully long lashes and Bucky’s breath caught in his throat.

“Well, why else do you think I’m spending so much time with you?”

*****************

“So I don’t get what the big deal is here.” Usually Natasha’s banal outlook on, well, everything made Bucky laugh but not today. Today he genuinely needed her to form an opinion.

“The big deal is that I basically was one step away from calling Steve my boyfriend,” Bucky all but hissed the word, “and he knew it but gave me an out. Why? Why would he give me an out?”

Natasha rolled her eyes in typical Natasha fashion. “I expect this from Darcy but you? I’m not prepared to have you get all bajiggity over a guy.” She handed him the blank schedule forms to fill out for her and the bank drop to do on his way out but Bucky didn’t move. “What? You know how to do the schedule and the drop…”

“I am not bajiggity.” 

She stifled a laugh and began marching Bucky towards the door from the office. “You are so bajiggity. You don’t even realize how bajiggity you are. I mean listen to yourself. You hissed the word boyfriend while freaking out about why Steve didn’t outright ask if you considered you two boyfriends. That, душенька моя, is the textbook definition of bajiggity.”

Darcy perked up as they passed the counter. “Who’s bajiggity?”

“Nobody.” 

“Bucky.” Natasha and Bucky answered together.

“I hate you both.” Bucky groaned as he left behind a chorus of Darcy sing-songing ‘Bucky’s bajiggity’ in his wake. 

He was still in a mood when he met Steve for lunch later that day, Natasha’s teasing sticking with him. Bucky didn’t get bajiggity at all. Ever. He was always cool, calm, and collected at all times. So when he saw Steve sitting outside the building waiting on him, there were absolutely not butterflies in his stomach when he looked up at Bucky and smiled.

“Hey! What’s with the face?” Steve’s smile faltered.

“Nothing...just tired. How are you?” Bucky leaned into the hug Steve offered and kissed the side of his neck but Steve flinched minutely. What the…

“Better now. Tutu’s or 983 for lunch?” They started walking slowly but Bucky directed them towards Tutu’s. They hadn’t been there in a while. They chatted about their respective days. Steve was working on a new design account for an ad campaign that is building based that the marketing firm his company partnered with had recently landed. He was bouncy, which Bucky could translate as overflowing with ideas.

“So you’re designing something that’s gonna be on the side of an entire building and an ad for in front of the Barclay Center? That’s amazing!” Bucky stopped walking just in front of the tavern to smile at Steve. He pulled him close and leaned forward, ready to brush his lips across Steve’s when Steve pulled back suddenly. Bucky had to shift his weight quickly to keep from falling into Steve. “What the…” He looked over at Steve...who was looking at a brunette woman who was slightly shorter than either of them.

“Hey Steve, fancy meeting you here!” Her voice was entirely too chipper and friendly but Steve, strangely, was tense.

“Hey Janet. I thought you were staying in for lunch today?”

“Nah I needed some fresh air. And who is this handsome man?” Janet winked at Bucky and Bucky stood up a little straighter when Steve put some distance between them. Well, two could play this game.

“The name’s Bucky…” Bucky smiled at her and Steve snapped out of whatever state he was in.

“Oh yeah sorry this is my...I mean yeah this is Bucky. He’s, uh, we’re friends.” 

What. The. Fuck?!

“Well, Bucky, it’s nice to meet you! Don’t let me keep you two from your lunch. I’m picking up an order to go but enjoy!” Janet bounced past them into Tutu’s, leaving them standing outside.

“So…”

“So that was Janet. She’s one of the administrative assistants in the office. Pretty high strung but keeps us on our toes.” Steve kept his distance and wouldn’t look at Bucky, who hadn’t moved an inch from where he’d almost literally fallen trying to kiss Steve. “What’s the matter? Change your mind?”

Bucky mentally shook himself. Okay so they were going with ignore. He shifted his approach accordingly. “Nah just giving Janet a chance to clear out. I can’t deal with that much peppy today. Darcy worked this morning so…”

And just like that, things were semi back to normal save for the fact that Steve wouldn’t come within arms reach of Bucky until they were inside and Janet had swung by to announce her departure. Only then did Steve reach out for Bucky’s hand and he honestly thought about refusing but, well, he was weak for Steve Rogers.

Bucky went home after lunch, only getting the most fleeting of kisses when they were still almost a block from Steve’s office, and all he could think was what the fuck was going on? He analyzed every possible scenario on his way home and while he was getting ready for bed. What was it about this Janet person that had Steve acting like they were just friends? Bucky had made a marked improvement on his wardrobe since he was now Natasha’s official assistant manager and it was cool enough that he could wear long sleeves and not get weird looks so it wasn’t his arm, even though Steve had never been weird about that...yet. He stripped down to his boxers and flopped across the bed, no closer to the answer but with a text message waiting.

 ** _Miss you already._**

“You got a fucking funny way of showin’ it, pal,” Bucky mumbled. He started and stopped his answer atleast 10 times, not caring if Steve saw the little dots that came up when he started typing.

**Me too. Come by the store tomorrow night and keep me sane? It’s my last regular overnight.**

**_Wouldn’t miss it for the world. Sleep sweet, sweetheart. Xo_ **

‘Where were those hugs and kisses when you were with me” was Bucky’s last thought as he drifted off to sleep.

*****************

“Why are you here? I thought you had a date?” Bucky glared at Natasha as she wandered aimlessly around behind the counter and then around in front of the counter.

“I do but not until later. It’s some big secret rendezvous that apparently can only happen at midnight.” She shrugged, not phased by the secret part of Matt’s plans.

“Shouldn’t you be stressing over your hair or makeup or trying on ten thousand outfits...AT HOME?” Bucky rang up customers without missing a beat of teasing his boss, earning a slap to his right shoulder and, when that didn’t phase him, a poke to a very ticklish spot on his left side. “HEY!” He did not squeak.

“Well that was cute...hey Natasha, where was that spot again?” Steve laughed, walking up to the counter all smiles and Bucky melted a little.

“Oh no...you have to find that...HEY!” Bucky, once again, absolutely did not squeak as Natasha poked his left side just below his ribs. 

“Right there. Jeez, Bucky, you’re so, what’s the word...bajiggity tonight.” She shot him a knowing look. “You boys have fun here. I have to go home and try on something like ten thousand different outfits and stress over my hair and makeup…” She glided out of the store, stopping to throw a wink at Bucky before she left.

“What was that all about?” Steve walked around behind the counter and sat down in the chair Darcy stashed back there.

“Matt’s got some sort of late night rendezvous planned.” Bucky shrugged. “How was your day?” Steve shrugged. “That good or that meh?”

“Meh. I have to rework a design I thought I was done with. I was happy with it. My boss was happy with it. The person who commissioned it? Not so much. But they didn’t give me any direction, just ‘I don’t like it.’ Like what the fuck does that mean?” 

Bucky walked over while there was a lull in customers and sat down in Steve’s lap. “You’ll figure them out. You have a gift like that, figuring out the difficult people. I mean you’re with me and I’m the most difficult person I know.” Lies lies lies, Bucky thought, but kept it to himself as he leaned forward and pressed his mouth to Steve’s for a quick kiss. The door chime kept the kiss from going on any longer and Bucky gave Steve his most exaggerated frowning face before walking back over to the register.

“Hi Bucky Bear!” Becca bounced, the biggest grin on her face. Bucky saw Steve mouth ‘Bucky Bear’ and Bucky rolled his eyes.

“Hi Bec. What brings you by here?” He leaned forward and dropped a peck on his little sister’s check, careful, as always, not to mess up her makeup.

“We’re on our way into the city and I thought I’d stop in and let you know all the details since you get so...bajiggity...when I go to parties over there.” She giggled. He was going to kill Natasha. “Also, hi new person! I’m Bucky’s sister, since somebody forgot his manners!” Becca leaned halfway over the counter to wave at Steve, who immediately got up and walked over to shake her outstretched hand.

“Steve, this bundle of energy is my little sister, Rebecca. Becca, this is Steve, my b…”

“Friend, his friend, Steve. It’s nice to meet you, Rebecca. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Steve smiled down at Becca but Bucky just stared at Steve, who looked back at him with a quizzical look. “What?”

“Pay him no attention, Steve. Mom and Dad tried to teach him manners but he’s always been a bit feral.”

“You know nothing, Rebecca Barnes. Besides, aren’t you late for a party.” The door chimed again. “Hey Wanda...I’m trying to get her back out to you now.” Bucky recognized Becca’s best friend from childhood. “How’s V? Are they still going by V or…”

“Still V. And they’re good, thanks for asking. Move it, Bec, we’re gonna be late!” Wanda walked up and grabbed Becca by the arm and pulled her towards the door.

“You know the drill, gremlin. Text me when you get there and when you get back to the dorms. Love you.” All Bucky got was a wave in response before he turned to stare at Steve, who had the biggest grin on his face. This time, however, Bucky would not be swayed by Steve and his perfect fucking grins.

“Bucky Bear?”

“Do not ask.”

“Too late.” Steve walked towards Bucky, who artfully dodged the movement and headed for the coffee machines to dup the old coffee and start fresh pots. He expected Steve to follow but he didn’t. Good...but also bad. Bucky did not stomp around dumping the coffee pots and changing the filters before adding new coffee to the filters. He wiped down the counters, all the while expecting to see Steve pop around the counter but, when he didn’t, Bucky headed back around to where he’d left Steve standing.

“I didn’t mean to pry if that was like a special thing between you and your sister.” Steve’s voice was soft and he sounded genuinely apologetic, which made Bucky instantly feel bad. He walked behind the counter and leaned against it, his back to the door but angled so he could see if anybody walked in.

“It’s not. I don’t even think Becca remembers where that nickname came from but it wasn’t from her. It was my mom. I was chubby when I was little. Like properly just fat face, chubby arms and legs...everything when I was a baby and Mom called me her little Bucky Bear. Well, even though I grew up and stopped being chubby, I was always Mom’s Bucky Bear. Rebecca’s first full phrase she ever said was bu bur and, later, Bucky Bear. It was the first thing she said to me when I came to after the accident. She was right beside my bed, face all red and puffy from crying, and all she could manage to say was Bucky Bear.” Bucky smiled, the memory of his mom and his little sister back when they were all a family not something he thought about too often.

“You never talk about what happened and I never wanted to pry.” Steve was quiet.

“It was an accident. Mom, Dad, and I were going down to the shore and Becca was staying with Wanda’s family or else she would’ve been with us. There was an eighteen wheeler than jack knifed right in front of us. Mom and Dad died instantly and I was pinned in the car. Dad had been an engineer at Stark Industries and, when Tony found out about the wreck, well…” Bucky flexed his left arm.

“Jesus,” Steve breathed.

“Yeah.” They were quiet for a few minutes. The store was blissfully dead, which was odd for a Friday night but Bucky wasn’t complaining. He’d rather not do or say what he was about to say in front of an audience “Steve...what are we?”

He shot Bucky a surprised look. “I don’t understand.”

“What are we to each other? I mean after your group session, you had the chance to ask me if I considered you my boyfriend and you didn’t. Then Wednesday when we ran into Janet from your office at lunch, you introduced me as your friend, which fair enough maybe you’re not out at work. But just now, I was ready to introduce you to my sister as my boyfriend and you jumped in with friend again. So is that what we are….friends?” Bucky watched him carefully but Steve didn’t answer. He looked down at his hands but wouldn’t look at Bucky, which spoke volumes. The door chimed and people began to amble in. Bucky slid off the counter and turned to face the door, keeping Steve in his peripheral vision.

“I can’t do this here...I’m gonna...yeah. I’ll, uh, I’ll text you later…” Steve was out and in front of the counter before Bucky realized he was moving and his heart broke when Steve walked out the door without looking back.

If there ever was an answer to Bucky’s question, it was Steve walking out without giving him one.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry. I'll fix them I swear.
> 
> Come and yell at me on [tumblr](http://bustybarnes.tumblr.com) about Stucky, Marvel, fics, anything!


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